Fruit-picker.



A. R. SHAW.

FRUIT PIOKBR.

APPLIGATION 11,111) APR. 25, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH 60.. WASHINGTON. n. c

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

ALEXANDER R. SHAW, OF BILLING'S, MONTANA.

FRUIT-PIGKER.

1&46116,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3,1912.

Application filed April 25, 1912. Serial No. 693,124.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER R. SHAW, citizen of the United States,residing at Billings, in the county of Yellowstone and State of Montana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit- Pickers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to fruit pickers especially adapted to beused for gathering large sized fruit as, for instance, apples andoranges, etc.

The device has for its object to provide a simple means easily andquickly operated for the purpose of pulling fruit of the characterindicated from the stems or branches upon which it hangs.

With this object in view, the device includes a shank which includes apair of claws. A claw is pivoted to the shank between thefirst-mentioned claws, and a spring connects at one end with the pivotedclaw and at its other end with the shank. The shank is mounted upon astafi, and a lug is located at the lower end of the stafi. A flexiblemember is connected at one end with the lug and at its other end withthe pivoted claw. When the said flexible member is drawn toward thestaff it swings the pivoted claw whereby it is moved with relation tothe claws which are fixed to the shank, and by this movement the fruitis grasped and may be readily pulled from the stems or branches to whichit is attached.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the fruit picker; Fig. 2is a perspective view of another form of the same.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawingby the same reference characters.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the picker consists of astaff 1 to the lower end of which is attached an outstanding lug 2. Ashank 3 is inserted in the upper end of the staff 1 and is provided withan angularly disposed portion 4. This portion 4 is carried upapproximately parallel, as at 5, with the body portion of the shank andis then bifurcated and continued into curved claws 6. A claw 7 ispivoted between the claws 6 to the shank 3, and a spring 8 is connectedat one end with the claw 7 and at its other end with the shank 3 approximately at the point of juncture between the angularly disposed portionand the body portion thereof. A wire, or other flexible memher, isconnected at one end with the pivoted claw 7 and at its other end withthe lug 2. This wire extends approximately parallel with the stafl 1and, consequently, when it is pressed toward the staff it will swing thepivoted claw 7 in opposition to the spring 8.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the wire 9 is connected with the pivoted clawat a point between the pivotal point of the said claw 7 and the free endthereof. In this form of the device, the tension of the spring 8 is suchas to hold the free end of the claw 7 toward the ends of the claws 6;therefore when the wire is drawn toward the staff 1, the free end of theclaw 7 is moved away from the ends of the claws 6, and, consequently,sufiicient room is provided the fruit to enter between the claws, and assoon as pressure is removed from the wire 9 the tension of the spring 8comes into play and the free end of the claw 7 moves toward the claws 6and the fruit is grasped, and by pulling down upon the device it isremoved from the branch that supports it.

In the form of the device as illustrated in Fig. 2, the wire 9 isconnected with the claw 7 at a point opposite its pivotal connectionwith the shank 3 from that to which the spring 8 is connected, andtherefore in this form of the device when the claws are placed about thehanging fruit and the wire is pressed toward the staff 1, the claw 7swings toward the claws 6 and the fruit is grasped, and then by pullingdown upon the staff it is removed from the branch. As soon as thepressure is removed from the wire 9 the tension of the spring 8 comesinto play and the free end of the claw 7 is swung away from the claws 6and the fruit is liberated and the members assume their normalpositions.

In both forms of the invention the device is what is generally known asa long arm fruit picker, for the staff is suficiently long to permit aperson to stand upon the ground and gather the fruit from the highestlimbs upon the trees.

I-Iaving described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A fruit picker comprising a stafi having an outstanding lug, a shanksecured to the stalf and terminating in spaced claws, a claw pivotedbetween the first-mentioned claws, a spring connected with the pivotedclaw and the shank, and a flexible member connected with the pivotedclaw and the lug, the pivot of the claw being between the spring and theflexible member.

2. A fruit picker comprising a staff having an outstanding lug, a shankattached to the staff and terminating in spaced claws, a claw pivoted tothe shank between the said spaced claws, a spring connected with thepivoted claw and the staff, and a flexible member connected with thepivoted claw and the lug, the pivot of the claw being he 15 tween thespring and the flexible member.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER R. SHAWV. [L.S.] VVit-nesses J. L. DAVIS, M. L. HoNRELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained'for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. (1..

